Music in the Night (Logan 4)

"Good. Night, Laura."

"Good night, Cary."

He closed the door and walked softly away. During the following week, Robert would leave

a letter in my locker at the end of every day. Each

letter declared his love for me more than the letter he

had previously written.

I want to apologize to you, Laura, but I tell

myself what we did was not wrong and neither you

nor I should feel guilty about it. I love you and only

you and making love is only another way of saying it.

There's no one to forgive, he added.

I tied his letters up and kept them hidden in my

desk at home, reading and rereading them so much, I

thought the words were starting to fade. I wanted to

believe every word he wrote and everything he said to

me. I w

anted that more than anything and I fought

hard to silence the voice of conscience that berated me

and threatened me with the punishments of

damnation.

Every night that week at dinner, Daddy seemed

to pick the readings from the Bible as if he knew what

was going on in my mind. One night Isaiah, Chapter

1: "Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a

seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters . . ." I looked down at my lap and when I looked up,

I felt the heat in my face and Cary's penetrating gaze,

his face still full of questions and concern.

The next night it was my turn and Daddy asked

me to read from Romans, 8. I began, but my voice

cracked when I read, ". . for to be carnally minded is